The head of the Bolshoi Theater Urin announced the continuation of work in his position

General Director of the Bolshoi Theater Vladimir Urin said in an interview with TASSthat he continues to work in his position. According to him, he is now on tour with the theater in Minsk. Mr. Urin noted that there were no official reports that he was leaving his position.

“You know, I’m working. There have been no official reports, other than how social networks, the media, and so on are very vividly discussing it. That’s why I work and today, together with the Bolshoi Theater, I’m on tour in Minsk,” Vladimir Urin answered the corresponding question from the journalist.

In response to a clarifying question whether this means that reports about a change in the theater’s management are unreliable, Mr. Urin said: “I answered the question exactly as I consider it necessary to answer.”

November 15, Izvestia, citing sources reportedthat Vladimir Urin will leave the post of head of the Bolshoi Theater, and his position will be taken by the current head of the Mariinsky Theater Valery Gergiev. According to the publication, Mr. Gergiev will combine management of the Mariinsky Theater and management of the Bolshoi Theater. Izvestia wrote that changes at the Bolshoi Theater would be announced during the St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum (November 16–18).

November 17 on the sidelines of the forum Valery Gergiev statedthat he was “busy enough” and “wasn’t looking for an opportunity to work even more.” In the same day Forbes citing sources, he reported that Vladimir Urin wrote a letter of resignation from the post of general director of the Bolshoi Theater of his own free will and the document was already signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

Polina Motyzlevskaya